1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the sport of snow skiing and more particularly, to a ski retrieval apparatus for locating and retrieving skis when the skier falls and one or both skis are released from the ski bindings. On frequent occasions when a skier falls while skiing, each boot is released from the ski bindings upon impact and the skis sometimes slide some distance from the skier, making retrieval difficult. Retrieval of the lost skis is particularly difficult under circumstances where the slope is steep and the skier must laboriously maneuver to the skis, which may be located some distance apart and from the skier, and spend valuable skiing time maneuvering into position again to lock the boots into the ski bindings.
In a preferred embodiment the ski retrieval apparatus of this invention is characterized by a housing designed to fit on each ski boot, with a line wound on a drum located in the housing and the free end of the line attached to the binding or a ski. A ratchet system allows the line to pay out from the housing when one or more skis are dislodged from the boot or boots when the skier falls. The line can then be wound back on the drum, either manually or automatically, to retrieve the ski or skis, which are typically located some distance from the skier. The ski retrieval apparatus thus serves both as a ski locator and as a retrieval device to retrieve one or both skis after the impact of a fall without the necessity of moving to the ski location, a sometimes difficult task, especially on a steep slope.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various devices for preventing snow skis from travelling downhill after impact when a skier falls and otherwise securing the skis to the skier, are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,523, dated May 30, 1989, to Nicholas Pruett, details a "Ski Beeper". The ski beeper is mounted to the ski in a position where the ski boot depresses an activator button on the device. In the event the ski boot releases from the binding and ski, the spring-loaded activator button raises and in turn, causes the beeper to become activated, thus alerting the skier of the position of the ski. U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,452, dated Apr. 24, 1990, to John J. Cimino, details a "Ski Locator Device Utilizing a Foam Ball". The ski locator device includes a tether having one end attached to the ski and the other connected to a brightly colored foam ball. The foam ball is compacted and inserted in a zippered pouch which is attached either to the skier's leg or to his boot. Upon detachment of the ski from the skier's boot, the foam ball is pulled through an aperture in the pouch and can be readily seen, thereby assisting in locating the ski. German Patent No. 2,930,502, details an "Alarm System" mounted on the ski, which alarm system is activated to locate the ski upon release of the ski from the ski boot and binding. German Patent No. 3,406,170 A1, details a drum having double windings of cord exiting the drum housing from opposite directions, one end of which is provided with a clip and the other with a ring. British Patent No. 1,336,553, details "Tape Measures and Like Articles" which are spring-loaded, wherein the tape extends from a housing under spring bias. PCT Patent No. WO 89/04194, details a "Ski Retriever" which includes a housing having a drum rotatably mounted therein. A cord is secured to and wound around the drum and passes through an aperture in the housing. A clip is disposed at the free end of the cord and the housing is connected to a skier's leg by a coupling, while the clip connects the cord to the ski. In a fall, the cord is drawn out of the housing against the spring bias and the coupling separates. A plate extending around the housing resists embedding of the housing in the snow and aids subsequent location and retrieval of a buried ski or skis.
It is an object of this invention to provide a ski retrieval apparatus for mounting on the boots of a skier and connecting the boots to the respective skis by means of a spring-biased line, wherein the line can be wound into the apparatus housing attached to the boot if the ski or skis are released from the bindings in a fall and are located some distance from the skier.
Another object of the invention is to provide a ski retrieval apparatus having a housing designed for mounting on the boots of the skier, a drum provided in the housing and a line mounted on the drum, with the free end of the line extending from the housing and attached to the ski or binding and a ratchet provided in the housing and engaging the drum to facilitate extension of the line by rotation of the drum in the event that the ski or skis are removed from the boot or boots during a fall and engagement of the drum for manual or automatic rewinding of the line on the drum and retrieval of the ski or skis.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a ski retrieval apparatus, which in a first preferred embodiment is characterized by a housing mounted on the boots of the skier, a line mounted on a spool or drum rotatably fitted in the housing, with the free end of the line attached to the ski binding or ski, a winding knob communicating with the drum, along with a ratchet system provided in the drum and selectively engaging the drum such that the line may be freely extended by rotation of the drum when the ski or skis are removed from the boots during a fall. The line may be then rewound on the drum by manually rotating the knob and drum to retrieve the ski or skis.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a ski retrieval apparatus which in a preferred embodiment includes a separate housing attached to each boot of the skier, with a rotating spool or drum provided in the housing, a line wound on the drum and a spring-loaded ratchet system fitted within the housing and positioned in selective engagement with the drum, wherein the line is extended through the housing for attachment to the ski or binding. Free extension of the line by rotation of the drum against the spring tension is effected if the ski or skis are removed from the boots during a fall and retrieval of the ski or skis is accomplished by pressing a ratchet disengaging button or trigger to apply spring bias on the drum and rewind the line on the drum.